Chapter 0 – Prologue: My house is burning

――My house is burning.

It took ten years—even since I was fifteen, I worked like mad, earning every penny to buy it, and yet…

――My house is burning.

I had given the carpenter all sorts of instructions, and the work turned out exactly as I wanted, and yet…

――My house is burning.

Even though it’s only been one day since the handover, and yet…

――My house is burning.

“Ahhh… why, why?”

I dropped to my knees on the ground.

In my unrelenting despair, I repeatedly slammed my fists into the ground.

“Why…”

Tears began to flow.

Tears dripped, drip drip, onto the ground, forming stains.

The house is blazing brilliantly, sparks flying everywhere.

The only saving grace is that this place is on the outskirts of town, so the damage hasn’t spread—but for me, nothing about this is a blessing.

“Ahhhhhhhh! Somebody! Somebody!”

I screamed, calling for help.

But there’s nothing here but my house.

There isn’t a soul living in the neighboring area.

There’s no one who could possibly come to help.

The dinner I had earlier is rising up from my stomach.

I could feel the overwhelming nausea brought on by the reality before me.

I found it utterly impossible to stop—

“Ugh… urp“

――Before I knew it, I had thrown up.